No one can give you a definitive answer to the question of how much do horse trainers make. In fact, their salary directly depends on their experience, competence, and even the region where they live.
Plus, some top professionals will earn more when their runners are highly successful. One thing is for sure. Most racehorse trainers need to rely on different revenue to make enough money for a living.
Horse Trainers
Horse trainers are experts who teach horses to different disciplines. They take care of each animals’ physical needs and prepare them for riding.
Most trainers perform under-saddle training or groundwork, evaluate horses, and clean stalls, round pens, and pastures. Most owners require trainers with at least a high school diploma and some experience in horse training and caring.
Horse trainer national average salary in 2012 |
|
| Time | Salary |
| Per hour | $18 |
| Per week | $713 |
| Per month | $3,091 |
| Per year | $37,096 |
Some can even look for employees who agree to live on the farm and take care of animals 24/7. On average, their salary is not pretty high, but these people can earn from additional activities.
The Average US Horse Trainer Salary
According to statistics, the average annual horse trainer salary in the US is $37,096 in 2021. That means these experts earn approximately $17.83 an hour, $713 a week, or only $3,091 a month.
Horse trainer national average salary |
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| Earners | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annually |
| Top earners | $26 | $1,057 | $4,583 | $55,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $18 | $721 | $3,125 | $37,500 |
| Average | $18 | $713 | $3,091 | $37,096 |
| 25th Percentile | $12 | $490 | $2,125 | $25,500 |
Most horse trainer salaries currently range from only $17,000 to $37,500 a year. Only top US experts make $55,000+ annually.
However, the situation is not that simple since horse trainers rarely live only on a salary. Since these payments are not exceptionally high, they often look for increased opportunities based on their experience, skill levels, and location.
Ways for Racehorse Trainers to Make Money
Purse percentages
Besides their salary, horse trainers receive some money when their horses win the first, second, or third place in races. Such purse earning is a significant percentage of the total trainer’s income.
That is a reason for a big difference in their salaries. Top-notch experts can make the big bucks ranging from a few hundred thousand to more than a million dollars when horses they train compete well in prestigious races.
Day rate
Horse trainers charge wages for horses kept in their stall. However, this rate includes stall bedding and equipment, food, grooming, and exercise rider. Those who train riders will earn additional money for their effort.
Horse trainer salary |
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| Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annually | % of jobs |
| $8.41 to $11.54 | $337 to $462 | $1,458 to $2,000 | $17,500 to $23,999 | 20% |
| $11.54 to $14.66 | $462 to $587 | $2,000 to $2,542 | $24,000 to $30,499 | 30% |
| $14.66 to $17.79 | $587 to $712 | $2,542 to $3,083 | $30,500 to $36,999 | 26% |
| $17.79 to $20.91 | $712 to $837 | $3,083 to $3,625 | $37,000 to $43,499 | 9% |
| $20.91 to $24.04 | $837 to $962 | $3,625 to $4,167 | $43,500 to $49,999 | 5% |
| $24.04 to $27.16 | $962 to $1,087 | $4,167 to $4,708 | $50,000 to $56,499 | 2% |
| $27.16 to $30.29 | $1,087 to $1,212 | $4,708 to $5,250 | $56,500 to $62,999 | 1% |
| $30.29 to $33.41 | $1,212 to $1,337 | $5,250 to $5,792 | $63,000 to $69,499 | 1% |
| $33.41 to $36.54 | $1,337 to $1,462 | $5,792 to $6,333 | $69,500 to $75,999 | 1% |
| $36.54 to $39.66 | $1,462 to $1,587 | $6,333 to $6,875 | $76,000 to $82,499 | 0% |
| $39.66 to $42.79 | $1,587 to $1,712 | $6,875 to $7,417 | $82,500 to $89,000 | 0% |
Breeding rights
The owners of winning colts offer trainers lifetime breeding rights. It is annual free breeding for the mare of their choice. These breeding rights can be valuable, depending on the stallion fees.
Bloodstock agent
When trainers work as agents, they broker the transaction and represent a client at sales or bid in the sale pavilion. In such a case, they receive a commission that is traditionally 5% of the purchase price.
Horse trainer national average salary by year |
|
| Year | Salary |
| 2012 | $27,300 |
| 2013 | $26,900 |
| 2014 | $26,300 |
| 2015 | $25,600 |
| 2016 | $25,600 |
| 2017 | $26,100 |
| 2018 | $26,900 |
| 2019 | $28,000 |
| 2020 | $29,200 |
| 2021 | $29,700 |
Running their own horses
Some trainers have their own horses and keep all of the earnings except for the jockey fees. The owner/trainer combination is quite common, particularly in lower-level races.
Running a horse training center
You can find trainers that exclusively operate training centers and earn decent money after building up a reputation.
Running a rehabilitation facility for racehorses
Sometimes injured racehorses need to rest in a stall for months. Many horse trainers take care of such a horse during the recovery period and earn a lot of money that way.
Thoroughbred Trainers Income
In most cases, thoroughbred trainers are not on someone’s payroll, and their income will depend on horses’ winnings. Since they are independent contractors who directly cooperate with horse owners, their salaries significantly vary, depending on a few factors.
Trainer fees
Thoroughbred trainers specialized in racing earn more money than those who prepare show horses. They charge day rates of approximately $65 to $100 for training purebred racehorses and receive a percentage of an animal’s earnings.
In other words, an average thoroughbred racehorse trainer can earn monthly at least $2,550 per horse. Since they usually train ten horses on average, you can quickly calculate the final number.
Keep in mind that each trainer needs to pay exercise riders and grooms to work with the horses. Plus, some money goes for feed, necessary equipment, and stall bedding.
On average, costs per horse is in the range of $1,950 per month, so its salary is only $600 per horse. It is not so much, isn’t it?
Horse trainer average salary by state |
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| State | Hourly rate | Average salary |
| Hawaii | $27.56 | $57,319 |
| New York | $22.60 | $47,014 |
| Ohio | $22.26 | $46,309 |
| Kentucky | $20.64 | $42,940 |
| South Carolina | $20.54 | $42,714 |
| Louisiana | $19.81 | $41,202 |
| South Dakota | $19.70 | $40,984 |
| Alaska | $16.70 | $34,744 |
| West Virginia | $16.48 | $34,275 |
| New Jersey | $15.93 | $33,132 |
| Maine | $15.67 | $32,586 |
| North Dakota | $15.59 | $32,418 |
| Florida | $15.55 | $32,350 |
| California | $15.01 | $31,217 |
| Illinois | $14.96 | $31,126 |
| Missouri | $14.71 | $30,593 |
| Montana | $14.67 | $30,517 |
| Nebraska | $14.47 | $30,098 |
| Mississippi | $14.46 | $30,077 |
| Iowa | $14.42 | $29,993 |
| Virginia | $14.28 | $29,705 |
| Rhode Island | $14.26 | $29,661 |
| Wisconsin | $14.15 | $29,440 |
| Connecticut | $14.07 | $29,269 |
| Kansas | $13.79 | $28,676 |
| Indiana | $13.73 | $28,551 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.71 | $28,524 |
| Massachusetts | $13.68 | $28,452 |
| Colorado | $13.17 | $27,392 |
| Texas | $13.16 | $27,365 |
| Arizona | $13.05 | $27,147 |
| Delaware | $12.96 | $26,965 |
| New Hampshire | $12.61 | $26,238 |
| Oregon | $12.46 | $25,914 |
| Arkansas | $12.22 | $25,409 |
| New Mexico | $12.17 | $25,311 |
| Maryland | $12.14 | $25,242 |
| Washington DC | $11.86 | $24,662 |
| Michigan | $11.33 | $23,564 |
| Utah | $11.24 | $23,375 |
| Washington | $11.15 | $23,194 |
| Vermont | $10.97 | $22,817 |
| Minnesota | $10.85 | $22,567 |
| North Carolina | $10.68 | $22,218 |
| Tennessee | $10.02 | $20,834 |
| Georgia | $9.97 | $20,733 |
| Alabama | $9.85 | $20,488 |
| Oklahoma | $9.81 | $20,411 |
| Idaho | $9.12 | $18,978 |
| Nevada | $8.44 | $17,548 |
| Wyoming | $8.19 | $17,025 |
Winnings
Thoroughbred trainers typically get 10% of the purse when their horses win races or come as second or third. For instance, the trainer will get $3,000 when a purse is $30,000. Some successful trainers can earn approximately $10,000 per month that way.
Best Paying Horse Trainer Jobs by Cities
As with many other jobs, the horse trainers’ salaries significantly vary depending on the city where they work. The best options are cities like San Mateo and Santa Monica in California and Boston in Massachusetts.
Horse trainer national average salary by city |
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| City | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annually |
| San Mateo, CA | $21.37 | $855 | $3,704 | $44,447 |
| Boston, MA | $21.03 | $841 | $3,645 | $43,743 |
| Santa Monica, CA | $20.76 | $830 | $3,598 | $43,175 |
| Renton, WA | $20.69 | $828 | $3,586 | $43,034 |
| Berkeley, CA | $20.60 | $824 | $3,571 | $42,848 |
| Daly City, CA | $20.54 | $822 | $3,561 | $42,727 |
| Lowell, MA | $20.36 | $814 | $3,529 | $42,352 |
| Richmond, CA | $20.10 | $804 | $3,483 | $41,800 |
| Newark, NJ | $20.04 | $802 | $3,474 | $41,691 |
| Springfield, MA | $19.91 | $796 | $3,451 | $41,410 |
The horse trainers’ payment in San Mateo is 19.8% above the national average of $37,096, while their colleagues in Santa Monica beat the national average by 16.4%. Unfortunately, only a few companies in San Mateo currently hire for this job type, so the competition is exceptionally high.
Best Paying Horse Trainer Jobs in the US
Unlike most horse trainers, some experts are highly paid for their effort. For instance, those who work for some companies are paid far more per year than standard horse trainers. The top five are:
- International horse
- Horse association
- Spirit horse
- Horse farms
- Wild horses
Best Paying Horse Trainer Jobs in the US |
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| Work with | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annually |
| International horse | $28.28 | $1,131 | $4,902 | $58,819 |
| Spirit horse | $27.96 | $1,119 | $4,847 | $58,167 |
| Horse association | $27.87 | $1,115 | $4,831 | $57,970 |
| Wild horses | $27.80 | $1,112 | $4,819 | $57,825 |
| Horse farms | $27.75 | $1,110 | $4,811 | $57,727 |
In most cases, these top-notch trainers are paid at least 55% to 60% more than the average horse trainers related to the state average.
Summary
Being a horse trainer is not an easy job. These people work hard for hours, but they are usually not paid enough for all the effort. Their level of required education and experience vary significantly and directly impact the annual salary.
However, most of these experts do their job for love and passion for horses even though they don’t earn much money. They have the privilege to train these magnificent animals and also travel a lot to attend horse races and shows.
